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Hi! This is MotherReader’s fifth-grade daughter. After reading the picture book Heave Ho! written by Heinz Janisch, I have decided to write a review for it.

Heave Ho! states right from the beginning that it will be told in twelve sentences. Even though it is mostly about having twelve sentences, I think that the story could have been better. It has a story, but it is not elaborate. If a twenty-four-page book only has twelve sentences, they should at least be good sentences. I also think that the pictures are a bit odd. The dog has no bottom lip, the rats have lightning bolts on their heads, and the cat seems to not be “all there.” And why do all the doors have scratches down them?

But on the bright side, it was an original idea, and the story was pretty cute. Overall, I would say that this book is A-OK. So if you happen upon it, you should read it, but don’t go out of your way to get it.

(MotherReader here. She wrote this review  I only did a little bit of editing. She even underlined where she wanted the italics to go. Can you see how she takes after me? I’m pretty much with her on this book, though I didn’t notice the odd things in the pictures. All hail the power of observation.)

5 comments:

Thanks for the great review! My daughter also writes book reviews, so I love the "keeping it in the family" concept! I do have a response to your question about scratches on the door - coming from a household with three dogs - we have scratches on all of our doors! I think the illustrator was looking for authenticity in the setting. Great job - keep those reviews coming.

Hi Mother Reader's Daughter,What a great review! I must say that you sound quite like your mother. When you said, "on the bright side" I thought it was your mother writing! You are quite skilled at this! Hope we get to hear more from you:-)

If my cat could type, she'd review books quite simply:"I love sitting on hardcovers, but only with the jackets off. Why do they have those darn things anyway?""This one's a paperback. I didn't care for it."

The Rundown

One of the bestselling preschool books of recent times was Walter the Farting Dog. At the same time, the American Library Association named as one of its best books Michael Rosen’s Sad Book, a book in which Mr. Rosen talks about his despair over the death of his son. I believe that, for most of us, what we want lies somewhere between a flatulent canine and overwhelming grief.